Where Were You Then?
by Mysterie1985
Summary: Jack Frost has been asked to join the Guardians in order to take down Pitch Black as he threatens the children of the world. Jack has a bone to pick with the four though, the past isn't just something he can easily shrug off and he's not about to let them think that he's going to let them. [may continue as full story based on youtube video - Where Where You]
1. Chapter 1

**Burgess, Penn. 1912**

A soft sigh escaped the pale lips of the young teen, his breath coming out like a fog as it always did. White hair wind ruffled, eyes so blue that they were a captivating color that could never be in any human and he wasn't. Frost graced the blue hoodie just as it did the wooden shepherd's crook he carried with him. His beautiful eyes watched with sad envy was families ushered children in for the evening. The laughter of a child off in the distance caught his attention. Why should this child be happy when he was so alone? When no one saw him, when he had no one? Anger and jealousy surged through him as he spun around, looking for the sound; his eyes alighted on a young girl who stood before a man he hadn't seen before. The other was so much larger than the girl both in height and in girth; not saying the other was so much fat as burly. Dressed in a red shirt and black pants, the man's hair was as white as the snow that was the boy's only constant companion aside from the wind.

The child giggled as she looked up fondly at the older man who was beaming at the child.

"Emily! Time to come in! Who are talking to?" Came the voice of the girl's mother as the last of the day's light faded, leaving the land in a darkness the teen was familiar with.

"Santa's here mum!" She replied. The teen, who was none other than Jack Frost, stared at the girl. He'd heard the name before, but to actually think that such a person existed… He looked at the man who seemed to know that he was being watched for his gaze shifted from the girl and looked at him. Right at _him_, could the other…? He felt his heart beat a little faster as he slowly walked forward, forgetting his anger and jealousy over the two as the mother ushered her child inside.

"Tell me, what do you want for Christmas?" The man asked, a bright smile on his face as he took in the boy who now stood before him. Jack wasn't sure what to say. How could the man before him ask such a question?

"You can ask anything." He said when he saw the boy hesitate.

"I want to be seen… where were you?" The question came out softer than he meant it to be and shock seemed to flicker over the jolly features as the merry eyes flickered over him and realization then seemed to dawn upon him that he was not faced with a mortal boy. This was the teen that the North Wind had whispered of. Jack Frost.

"I have my job to do, lad. Just as you have yours; is almost Christmas. Don't get carried away this year, no?" He said with a smile and Jack blinked, only able to watch as the other spirit walked off towards a waiting sleigh and was off into the air with a snap of the reins before Jack could think to say anymore. Just like that, he'd been brushed off. He felt a jolt from it, what had he expected? The other spirit hadn't sought him out before… were there others? Well, Jack was going to see if there were. He would love to just have… someone pay some attention to him, maybe be his friend... Someone to talk to him and keep him company. Feeling a flicker of hope for the first time since he had emerged from the ice, not knowing anything more than his own name and discovering that he had power over the elements of winter, Jack took to the air and set out across the world. He couldn't be the only spirit… and he had a feeling that there were certainly others with whom he could talk to. Perhaps they would be more welcoming than the "jolly" Guardian had been. Jack couldn't help the excitement he felt suddenly, after 200 years of not being seen someone had finally seen him! Him! He danced in the air as he zoomed off to yet another town to see if he could root out any other spirits who might want some company on this winter's night.

**North Pole 100 years later**

"I must have done something to get you four together." Jack said, walking off from the elf he'd frozen. Why had he been stuffed into a sack and tossed into a magical portal? Why were all the Guardians all collected here at the North Pole? Was it because of him? Had he really done something so bad this time to cause them to make such a fuss? Then an idea occurred to him and he turned to look over his shoulder at them with a mischievous smirk.

"Am I on the naughty list?"

"On naughty list? You hold record, but no matter, now we are wiping clean the slate." North replied, making a wiping gesture across the "naughty" tattoo on his arm.

"How come?" The question was out before Jack really registered he'd spoke.

"Eh, good question." Bunny said, Jack nearly rolled his eyes at the grumpy, oversized rabbit.

"How come? I tell you how come!" North said, nearly booming out his next words.

"Because now you are Guardian!" Jack started, as much from the shock of the words as the music that suddenly started and the ridiculous display that suddenly seemed to unfold before him. He backed away from the fairies that tried to put some multicolored neck thing around him; he didn't want to get to close to any of the fairies since… He brushed the thought away before it caused him to flinch in pain, but he'd stumbled back over the sack, the two yetis behind him caught him and steadied him. He scowled at the elves that held up a pair of shoes for him, they seemed more ridiculous than this display! He had no intention of putting them on.

Seriously, did they NOT know who he was? As he glanced around he found his irritation rise as North boomed out as he marched in time to the tune.

"This is the best part!" Fed up, Jack raised his staff and slammed it down suddenly, frost crackling along the floor as a cold blast of air spread out from him, dousing the fire the yetis behind him held and sending the nearest elves sliding across the floor as if they had been on ice.

"What makes you think I want to be a Guardian?" He asked, the fact that the jolly Guardian, now holding a book in his hand seemed to laugh at it while no one else did. What was so funny?

"Of course you do. Music!" It started up again.

"No music!" Jack said and it died just as soon as it had started. He scowled now at the four before him. How DARE they assume that he wanted to be like THEM! He narrowed his eyes at the four.

"I don't want to be a Guardian. I am not like you four."

"Man in Moon chose you to be Guardian." North said.

"Man in Moon? After 300 years… THIS is his answer? To spend eternity in some hideout dreaming up new ways to bribe children?! Oh no… that is NOT for me." He fumed, scowling up at the moon as if it could see him. Maybe it could, but he didn't care one way or another.

"I am NOT you. You guys are hard work and deadlines; I am snowballs and fun times. I am NOT a Guardian."

"Yeah, exactly what I said!" Bunny said, but Jack ignored him. Jack spun away from the group.

"Jack, I don't think you understand what we do. Each of those lights is a child." Tooth began, motioning to the large globe with tiny lights all over it.

"A child who believes, and good or bad, naughty or nice, we protect them." North picked up before Tooth could continue.

"We need you Jack. Pitch is out there doing who knows what!"

"The Boogeyman?" Jack asked, a little surprised that THIS was the reason they had brought him here, the real reason he was being asked to join them.

"Yes!" Jack frowned.

"Just who do you think I am? Why are you asking me to do this when YOU weren't there when I needed you?" Bunny narrowed his eyes while the others seemed a little taken aback at the sudden anger Jack was displaying.

"Where were YOU when I had trouble with Pitch? When I needed help dealing with him?" He stormed off, an hour later he found himself alone, leaning against one of the many window sills of North's as he tried to get himself under control. He needed to cool off or he might accidently summon a storm. He didn't want to do that. They thought ill of him enough as it was.

"Jack." He glanced over, tugging unconsciously on his hood that he'd pulled over his head earlier.

"Jack, we need your help with Pitch. He is dangerous."

"You think I don't know that? Why should I bother? Everyone always ends up alone in the end. After so long you came to me just because you need my help, not because you want to help me. Not because you have anything to offer me, but because you want something FROM me." Jack felt his anger rising again even as he heard the others gathering around him as he stood. He spun about suddenly, his eyes focused on Tooth now.

"Where were YOU when he threatened Baby Tooth's life? When he…. When I lost her?"

"Baby Tooth?" Jack frowned, but answered.

"That's what I called her… when I found her. I nursed her back to health, she was the ONLY one who seemed to care about me. Who … who took the time to be with me!" Tooth's eyes widened. She had assumed she'd lost that fairy in one of Jack's blizzards and had angrily destroyed the ice memorial that Jack had made for the fairy when she'd discovered it. Her magenta eyes were now wide with sorrow. She realized she had judged the young winter spirit wrongly and she wished she could make it up to him. Jack jerked his hood down, his hand clenching his staff. As angry as he was with them, he wasn't going to attack them. He wasn't like Pitch.

"I can't help you. I'm sorry, but I have nothing to offer you." None of them said anything as he pushed open the window and flew out. Leaving them to deal with Pitch on their own. They were the "Big Four" they didn't need him, Jack knew that; they had never needed him before, so whatever they thought they needed him for now… well… it was too late. He didn't want anything to do with them.


	2. Chapter 2

Regardless of what the Guardians might think of him, of his hurt from their lack of caring, Jack couldn't get himself to venture too far. In fact, only after counting to one hundred did he dare venture back into the workshop. He could see that the four hadn't left the room and seemed to be anxiously speaking to one another. His curiosity got the better of him and so he silently moved to one of the lowest levels that he could that would keep him out of sight. This of course meant that he had to watch the four to make sure they didn't spot him. None of them did as he swiftly and silently flew beneath the level they were standing on to cling to the bottom of the … well, whatever it was called. He made his way over to where the four were arguing, wanting to hear what they were saying over the noise of the workshop. The yetis and elves barely spared him a glance or two.

"Is serious problem!" North boomed.

"I think we just avoided a serious problem." Bunny said scathingly.

"Bunny!" That was Tooth.

"Look, the bloke doesn't care about children. Let him do what he's always done, we don't need the help." There was silence a moment.

"Sandy is right, Manny chose Jack for reason. We cannot simply ignore it." North said, as if it were fact that Jack was a Guardian. Jack frowned. Hadn't he made it plain he wasn't one of them? What was it going to take? The sound of a gasp broke into his thoughts.

"Come! We help Tooth!" North said and he glanced up in time to see a colorful blur dart out of the same skylight he'd used earlier followed by a few fairies. What was going on? He waited until he was sure they were gone before he too darted out of the skylight in time to see the sleigh dance into the sky; he darted towards it, he had to admit that it wasn't the rickety old thing he'd assumed it to be. Maybe he'd misjudged… no, it was just one thing; he brushed his thoughts away as he quietly caught up with the contraption, he settled on the edge of it. He had to admit that his curiosity could get him into trouble and it had once before.

The last time he'd let it go too far he'd found himself faced with Pitch's anger and had lost Baby Tooth. He bit his lip to stifle a cry when the sleigh unexpectedly zipped through a portal.

"What?" He almost missed North's question and he peered around the sleigh, his eyes widening as he saw Nightmares darting around the Tooth Palace. Jack felt his gut twist. He remembered too well how one of them had easily caught Baby Tooth and carried her away from his grasp… The memory left the winter spirit reeling. He couldn't let this happen again… Pitch would… He saw a Nightmare chasing a little fairy and before he knew what he was even thinking of doing he'd shot off from his place on the sleigh and zoomed towards the little fairy. He barely managed to snag her from the air and he dropped down, away from the Nightmares, cupping his hands close to his body as he opened his hand. The little fairy resembled Baby Tooth in that she looked just like her, except that she lacked having eyes that were two different colors.

"You okay little one?" He asked, the fairy quietly chattered at him with a smile, her little hands folded, legs crossed in his hand; her feathers a little ruffled, but she didn't seem to mind being held. Baby Tooth didn't mind either. The little fairy chirped questioningly at him and he could only guess that the pain he felt at remembering his lost friend had flashed across his face. He didn't want to chance getting close to another fairy, but the little fairy he held didn't flutter away from him. In fact, the little one darted into his pocket when he headed back to where the Nightmares were rampaging. He felt anger swell back into him at Pitch. He had a bone to pick with the Boogeyman.

Not caring what the others would think, he blindly charged in, sending ice at some of the Nightmares, freeing more of the little fairies who darted away to try and free their sisters. Jack ignored them and zoomed into the Tooth Palace, looking for more Nightmares. He froze one he saw and when it exploded he saw it wasn't fairies that the Nightmare had been carrying, but golden cylinders. He landed next to them when he didn't see anymore Nightmares about; curious, he crouched down next to one, barely taking note of the thump on a different platform that told him that North had landed his sleigh. Where these what Tooth used to keep the teeth? He glanced around, curious as to what was going on. He flew to a platform higher than the one the Guardians were on as he heard voices, particularly the voice of the one that made his blood boil. Pitch. He aimed his staff at the shade who was currently mocking the Guardians. Jack could care less, his eyes narrowing at the other.

"Is that… Jack Frost?" Pitch said suddenly and he swore he felt the eyes of the others shift to him, but he didn't take his eyes from Pitch.

"Since when are you all so chummy?" Jack narrowed his eyes further.

"We're not." He replied flatly.

"Oh good, a neutral party." Jack spun around, finding Pitch was now lounging against the wall behind him. His grip on his staff tightened and the Boogeyman just smirked.

"Then, I'm going to ignore you… but you must be used to that by now." Jack barely registered the words as he lunged forward angrily, slashing at Pitch, but the shade had already moved to the shadows again. Tooth cried out as she took one of Bunny's boomerangs, brandishing the weapon as she lunged for Pitch where he had reappeared. She stopped short though when a Nightmare reared up between them girl.

"Whoa! Hey! Easy girl, easy." Pitch said, Jack spun back around; he didn't trust Pitch.

"Look familiar Sandman? Took me a while to perfect this little trick, turning dreams into Nightmares." Jack frowned slightly. Pitch's Nightmares were made from Sandy's dreamsand? That didn't seem likely, but this was Pitch. One could never be too careful around him.

"Oh, look. It's happening already." Pitch's words drew Jack's thoughts from that.

"What is?" Jack asked before he knew he'd even spoken.

"Children are waking up, and realizing the Tooth Fairy never came. It's such a little thing, but to a child…." Jack's eyes widened as he began to understand, he looked down at where Tooth was; her eyes were wide with an emotion he wasn't sure he wanted to see.

"They… they don't believe in me anymore…" He hated the way she sounded so… so lost just then; how she looked so vulnerable, like a little child who couldn't believe that someone had taken away something that was theirs for the very first time.

"Didn't they tell you Jack?" Jack's eyes flickered back to Pitch; there was too much… joy in the other's tone as he went on, a hint of mockery underlying his every word.

"It's GREAT being a Guardian, but there's a catch… if enough kids stop believing all the things your friends protect, hopes and dreams… it all goes away… and little by little. So do they." He laughed; Jack felt his grip on his staff tighten.

"No more Easter, or Christmas, or little fairies that come in the night. There will be nothing but fear and darkness… and me. It's your turn, not to be believed in." The venom in his final words held dark promise the Guardians jumped into action as Bunny tossed the boomerang that Tooth had given back to him. Pitch leapt onto the Nightmare next to him and dove, the Guardians didn't hesitate to leap off the platform in pursuit and neither did Jack. He sped up his fall, trying to catch up to the shade as he dodged Bunny's exploding eggs and boomerangs. Jack landed on a rock as the others landed on the ground, everyone looking for any sign of Pitch who had seemed to vanish into a shadow.

"He's gone." North said after a moment and dropped his swords to his side. Everyone seemed to relax, well, everyone but Jack. They turned towards him now and he felt that they were perhaps going to say something to him. That they were going to try and get him to come back with them, well everyone but Bunny might since the rabbit had a grudge against him for a past mistake.

To his surprise, no one actually said anything like he'd been expecting.

"I'm sorry… about your fairies." Jack said, looking to Tooth. She gave him a sad smile. He wasn't sure what to make of her or of any of the others.

"Why would Pitch take the teeth?"

"It's not the teeth he wants. It's the memories inside them. That's why we collect the teeth. They hold the most important memories of childhood. We had everyone's here. Yours too." Jack was caught off guard by that, his eyes widening a little.

"M-my memories?"

"From when you were young, before you were Jack Frost."

"But I… I wasn't anyone before I was Jack Frost." Tooth looked at him in a bit of disbelief and… something else that he couldn't read.

"Of course you were. We were all someone before we were chosen."

"That night on the ice… I thought… " Jack stuttered as he began to realize that there was more to him than what he remembered.

"You really don't remember?" Tooth asked and Jack shook his head his gaze hazing as it all suddenly came to him in a rush.

"All this time…. The answers were right here…." He hopped down from his rock to stand near Tooth.

"You have to show me!"

"I… I can't Jack… Pitch has them." Determination gleamed in the teen's eyes suddenly as he spoke.

"Then we have to get them back!"

"Oh no… the children…" Tooth said, some of her feathers falling from her and disappearing before they even reached the ground.

"We're too late…"

"No! No such thing as too late!" North boomed before pacing, the others moving to give him room. Jack leaned on his staff, staying out of the larger Guardian's way.

"Wait…. Waitwaitwaitwaitwait!" He said suddenly, he swung a sword around, nearly beheading Bunny who was too close in the process.

"Idea!" He cried, Jack watched warily as he indicated Bunny and Sandy with a sword.

"WE will collect the teeth!"

"What?! We're talking seven continents, millions of kids." Tooth protested.

"Give me break. Do you know how many toys I deliver in one night?" He said with an easy confidence that Bunny seemed to echo.

"And eggs I hide in one day?" North turned to him, the blades of his swords now pointing to the ground.

"And Jack… if you help us, we will get you your memories." He smiled and Jack thought about it. Could he trust them to keep their word? Sandy gave him two thumbs up, obviously approving of the idea while Bunny rolled his eyes. Tooth giggled and Jack found a smile playing along his features. Well, it could be fun…

"I'm in." He found himself saying, what did he have to lose? If they didn't keep their word there was no way he was going to help them further, but helping Tooth in turn for getting the memories he was after… Well, it couldn't hurt to try could it? Plus he had a feeling that he might just enjoy this little outing.


	3. Chapter 3

What had he got himself into? Jack wondered as he leapt through the streets of Japan. He really wondered just what he had to be thinking to get himself mixed up with this rag-tag group who had all but ignored him for the 300 years he'd been around. Still, he had to admit that he felt a certain amount of pride that he'd managed to snag more teeth in the brief time than Bunnymund. Wasn't the Pooka always bragging about how fast he was?

"Hop to it rabbit! Come on, try and keep ahead!" Jack taunted, unable to help himself; as much as he didn't like the Guardians and held a grudge against them, he couldn't deny that this was starting to become fun…

"Yeah, right. I'd tell ya to stay outta my way, but really what's the point? You won't be able to keep up anyway."

"Is that a challenge cottontail?" Jack asked as he floated next to Bunny who was zigzagging along the rooftops.

"Oh, you don't wanna race a rabbit mate." Bunny returned in kind. Before they knew it, all the Guardians were in on it, except for Tooth and they were doing all they could to make it a competition to see who could collect the most teeth. Jack had left Bunny with a "new hat of frost" when Bunny had stolen one of his targeted teeth, Bunny and North really got into it when the two got caught in one of Bunny's tunnels – leaving Sandy to take the tooth from them both. Jack had jumped into one of his targeted windows only to yelp as he found himself falling down one of Bunny's tunnels. He'd gotten the Pooka back by causing him to slide off a roof with his ice on it while the rabbit had been admiring a tooth he'd gotten; Jack had easily nipped it from Bunny's paw only to have it stolen by Sandy. In the end, Jack couldn't remember when he'd had as much fun once they'd returned back to the North Pole once they'd retraced their steps as they'd forgotten to leave gifts… that had been embarrassing for them all when Tooth had asked if they'd been leaving gifts and they'd realized they'd completely forgotten to in their race to out do one another.

Jack joined Tooth in the room of a kid he knew well.

"Left central incisor knocked out in a freak sledding accident." Tooth said as she twirled the coin around her fingers, the gold coin was magic and would turn into a quarter before the sun rose.

"I wonder how that could have happened, Jack?" She looked up at him meaningfully as he was standing next to the bed where a picture of the event was drawn by the child, hanging on the wall; he'd placed one hand on it, wishing the child had known that he was there when his thoughts had been interrupted by Tooth and he glanced over at her with a sort of sheepish grin.

"Kids, huh?" He asked, knowing well that she wasn't fooled and knew that he had been the real cause of the accident though she didn't seem at all mad about it.

"This was always the part I loved the most, seeing the kids." Tooth said and Jack studied her, she seemed so sincere. How could someone who seemed so kind and… compassionate, have over looked him. Ignored him for so long? He began to wonder if maybe it had been because she'd been so busy… hadn't she said that she hadn't been out in the field herself for about 440 years? He was only 300 years older… maybe it had never occurred to her in all that time… Jack sighed inwardly. He might never know the truth of that and he knew he shouldn't be making excuses for her as he watched her hover just above Jamie, the boy whose tooth she had just taken.

"Why did I ever stop doing this?" Jack wasn't sure if she meant for him to actually answer that question or not and so he stayed silent. Even if she had expected an answer from him, he didn't have one to offer really. He'd no idea why she'd spent so much time away from doing the very job she sent her fairies to do. Seeing her now, peering joyfully at the sleeping boy, he wondered if maybe she would get out more now and maybe do this job herself more.

She shifted to hover near him, a soft smile on her features.

"Thanks for being here Jack. I wish I could have known about your memory, I could have helped you." She seemed so sincere that he found himself responding automatically to that sincerity.

"Yeah, well, let's just get you taken care of first and then it's Pitch's turn." The hand on his shoulder was gentle, warm and he felt that maybe she actually did care. That maybe, among all of the Guardians, he could maybe trust her enough to do what she had said… to help him get his memories and maybe even be his friend. That was a big maybe, but… aside from Sandy… she had the most possibility out of them all of him accepting her as his friend.

"Ah! Here you are!" North boomed and Tooth spun around to sush him, pointing to the sleeping child. Making North pause at the window, his face expressing the 'Oh' that followed as he quietly made his way inside with Sandy floating behind him silently.

"Oh. What gives, slowpokes? How you feeling Toothy?" He asked with a smile, not giving either a chance to answer the first question.

"Believed in." Tooth replied happily, clasping her hands together as she hovered near the bed.

"That is good to hear." North said with a soft chuckle and a genuine smile. North obviously did really care about Tooth, Jack wondered if maybe this whole time he'd had him pegged wrong too. Was there maybe a reason, not so unlike Tooth's, that had kept the jolly Guardian from seeking him out? Well, no, there was that one time many years back when he had spoken with North, but the Guardian hadn't seemed to notice that anything was wrong… That Jack had wanted someone to talk to, and it had been close to Christmas too that year when he had first met him… Were the Guardians perhaps so caught up in their jobs that they had simply overlooked him by mistake? Well, he knew that wasn't Bunny's case since he'd ticked the overgrown rabbit off when he'd made it snow one Easter… Bunny hadn't forgiven him for it yet and the last time he'd tried talking to the spring spirit, Bunny had chased him off. His thoughts were broken by said spirit's voice.

"Oh I see how it is, all working together to make sure the rabbit gets last place."

Jack would have rolled his eyes at the Pooka if he wasn't so sure the gesture would be lost on the overgrown rabbit.

"Like I need help to beat a bunny." He taunted, pulling his own bag out to hold in front of Bunny's face.

"Check it out Peter Cottontail."

"You call that a bag of choppers?" Bunny asked, pulling out his own bag, which was a little over twice the size of Jack's own.

"Now _that's_ a bag of choppers."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," North interceded, stepping between the two.

"this is about Tooth it is not a competition... but if it was… I win!" North's victory dance and yelp was loud enough to wake the boy who promptly aimed his flashlight at North, causing the large Guardian to freeze, his eyes going wide.

"Oh no." It was all the jolly man seemed to be able to say when he realized what he'd done. The boy seemed confused as he flicked the light from one face to another while Jack moved to stand over next to Tooth who hovered at the end of the bed.

"Santa Claus? The Easter Bunny? Sandman? The Tooth Fairy!" His voice rose excitedly as his light fell on her.

"I knew you'd come!" Excitement etched onto the youth's features.

"Surprise! We came." She chuckled as she smiled, though obviously she was nervous about it; Jack wondered if she'd ever been caught before, but another replaced the thought, one more pressing.

"He can see us?" Jack asked as the light passed from one Guardian to another.

"Most of us." Bunny said, shifting to look at Jack and the hopefulness that had risen in him was suddenly dashed. _I should have known…_ Jack thought dejectedly.

Why would now be different when he'd tried everything and failed? Why would this child be any different? He tried not to sigh aloud.

"Shhh, you guys! He's still awake!" Tooth said suddenly, though Jack wasn't entirely sure he understood.

"Quick, Sandy, knock him out!" Bunny insisted. Sandy made a fist pounding motion as he looked at the boy with an intent that went over the boy's head, thankfully.

"Huh?" It was all the kid said.

"With the dream sand ya gumbies!" Bunny said with some exasperation at the misinterpretation by his friend. Bunny would wish later that Sandy hadn't taken what he'd said so literally… or that he'd chosen those words to tell his fellow Guardian. Jack chuckled quietly at the scene before him.

"Oh, I wish I had a camera right now." He would LOVE to have gotten this on film to tease Bunny about later as one of the carrots the Pooka was dreaming about grew arms and legs and began dancing with one of North's dream candy canes. Sandy turned to shoot him a stern, yet amused, look. Jack hadn't meant for it to get quite so out of hand… he'd just had to do something to stop Bunny's boasting, as the Pooka was want to do. Bunny wasn't going to live this one down for the next few centuries… Jack would see to it. The little Guardian's eyes went wide as he saw the Nightmare at the window behind Jack. Jack spun to see what Sandy was looking at, shock washing over his features when he saw the two black horses that took off when he turned to look at them. They could lead him to Pitch and he could then get his memories… Jack didn't hesitate to go after the two out the window, calling to the little Guardian who had hesitated to follow.

"Sandy, come on we can find Pitch!" Jack let the wind carry him after the two Nightmares and was soon joined by Sandy.

The Nightmares led the two of them on a merry chase through the city before Sandy caught up to one, hitching a ride before turning it back into a dream while Jack raced over several roofs before finally getting the one he was chasing.

"I got it! Sandy! Did you see that?" He called as he moved to land nearby the frosted Nightmare; he poked what remained of it with his staff.

"Look at this thing."

"Frost." The sound of the voice made Jack jolt up, he swung around to see Pitch was behind him and swung his staff but the Boogeyman easily evaded him and stood on the roof of the building that was pressed up against the one he stood on.

"For a neutral party you spend a lot of time with those weirdos. This isn't your fight Jack."

"You made it my fight when you took the teeth."

"Teeth? Why do you care about the teeth?" Pitch gave him a cruel look of confusion, but Jack didn't have time to answer as Pitch suddenly glanced over only to sidestep in a brief moment of sudden fright. He laughed suddenly; Sandy was staring at the Boogeyman unhappily.

"Now this was who I was looking for." Before Jack could think to say or do anything the two enemies were at each other and in a matter of seconds Pitch was hurled from the roof, bouncing off an overhanging, onto a car which set off the car's alarm, and onto the street, rolling across the hard pavement.

"Remind me to not get on your bad side." Jack said and Sandy smiled when he glanced over at him before the two of them floated down to the street where Pitch was slowly recovering. The next few minutes were a whirlwind as Jack went from having the upper hand against Pitch with Sandy to suddenly facing several hundred Nightmares, Jack had only time to react and no real time to think as he defended himself and did his best to also defend the Guardians when he could as he might not like that they'd ignored him, but he didn't hate them really. Pitch, on the other hand, he hated with a burning passion.

"We've got to help Sandy!" Jack said, perching on one of the wings of the sleigh. North turned the sleigh towards where Sandy was, Jack's eyes widened only to harden with determination when he saw Sandy was surrounded by a ring of Nightmare sand; he leapt off the sleigh and soared towards the one Guardian he considered his friend just then. Tooth raced to follow, only to be stopped by more Nightmares.

"Hurry Jack! Hurry!" North shouted. Jack was pushing himself to hurry. He almost froze when he saw the arrow Pitch had released strike Sandy. The golden Guardian jolting from being hit by the arrow, made from Nightmare sand.

"No." Jack jolted… his friend had…

"Nooooooooo!" He roared and drove himself towards his friend even faster. Pitch laughed.

"Don't fight the fear little man!" He crowed.

"I'd say sweet dreams, but there aren't any left."

"Sandy?" Shock and disbelief on North's face as; Jack yelled as he soared, but it was too late. Sandy had vanished into the Nightmare sand and was no more. Pitch, seeing Jack fearlessly charging him, summoned the Nightmare sand and sent it at him; expecting that the young spirit would be overwhelmed, just as the others thought that they were all doomed, that Jack had been overcome just like Sandy, a boom reverberated through the air. They saw Jack, blue lightning scattering from his body and freezing Nightmares around him, sending them scattering about him. With a determined yell, he slammed his staff before him, clutching it with both hands as a conduct and sending the lightning towards the sea of Nightmare sand, freezing it. The shockwave sent Pitch falling out of the sky even as Jack dropped from the sky, suddenly spent from the release of power he'd suddenly managed in his anger. He barely heard someone cry out his name before he was caught by someone and set in the sleigh; he had never felt as drained as he did now, he had never done anything quite like that… whatever that was…

"Jack. How… How did you do that?" Tooth asked, Jack wasn't sure, glancing from her to his staff.

"I… I didn't know I could…"


	4. Chapter 4

Jack sat on a window sill, it was just big enough to seat him; he couldn't help shivering from the sorrow that surged through him as he heard the soft chime of the bells on the hats the elves wore. The three Guardians had gathered with all the elves and the yetis to pay respects to their departed comrade. Jack had felt like a third wheel and had stayed away from them; he didn't want to intrude really and… well, he wasn't a Guardian. He didn't belong here, but he still felt it was his fault that Sandy had been… He sighed inwardly as he stared out of the window. He poked it gently with one pinky and the frost that swirled from it slowly curled into a figure of the Sandman. Sandy had been the only one among the Guardians that Jack had actually gotten along with before now, the only one who had seemed to show any interest in him; even if he had been busy night after night, somehow the little Guardian had always made time for Jack when he needed someone to be there the most. Now… now he was gone and Jack felt that he could have done something….

"Are you alright?" Jack glanced over to the Guardian who stood behind him, it was North; he nearly sighed aloud. What did the Guardian want now?

"I just… I wish I could have done something." He found himself saying instead of demanding what it was the other Guardian wanted. He didn't want to deal with any of them. Tooth would have been a better choice really if he had to face any of them right now, but he didn't see her.

"Done something? Jack… you stood up to Pitch."

"But Sandy-"

"Would be proud of what you did." North cut him off. Jack wondered why it was the Guardian of Wonder didn't blame him for this, for not getting there sooner and saving Sandy from Pitch. Why was the other looking at him like he cared?

"I don't know who you were in past life but in this life you are Guardian."

"How can you be so sure? I don't even remember who I was."

"Man in Moon never wrong Jack. You will find out. I feel it, in my belly." Jack looked up at him, the merriment in the elder Guardian's eyes made him feel better and he tugged his hood down.

"The lights… they're going out so fast." Tooth said when Jack and North joined her and Bunny before the globe.

"It's Pitch… he's tipped the balance." Jack muttered, his hand tightening on his staff. He had a grudge against that shade that ran deeper than what he'd felt for the Guardians. They might have not been there for him, heck, they might have even treated him like he'd not existed but not one of them had ever tried to hurt him and Pitch needed to answer for Babytooth's death.

"Buck up ya sad sacks." Bunny said suddenly, hopping in front of them so he was between the group and the globe.

"Easter is tomorrow and I need your help. I say we pull out all the stops and get those little lights flickering again!" Jack was a little surprised that Bunny was including him in the group. Didn't the Pooka have a grudge against him because of what had happened in '68? He followed the group who seemed happy to follow North as he took an elevator to another level.

"Bunny is right! As much as I hate to say it old friend… this time Easter **is** more important than Christmas." Jack could barely contain his laughter when he saw Bunny's shocked expression, his mouth open.

"Hey! Did everyone hear that?!" Bunny seemed to relish his little victory a bit too much.

"Everyone, to the sleigh!" North said once they had left the elevator, North was leading the way but Bunny cut him off quickly.

"Oh no mate… my Warren, my rules. Buckle up." North's eyes went wide and he uttered some Russian thing that Jack didn't get even as they all fell into the giant hole that appeared beneath them. Jack couldn't help but whoop in delight, Bunny raced through the tunnel, North – along with two yetis and a wayward elf – fell down the tunnel like it was a huge slide and Tooth seemed to easily take it all in stride as he was doing. He and Tooth were both laughing when they hit the end, North and the others rolling out while Bunny stood before the group as Jack and Tooth sorted themselves out, a little disoriented but thoroughly thrilled with the "ride" they'd been tossed into.

"Ha ha, buckle up. Is very funny." North said, one finger in the air as he lay on his back; this caused Bunny to chuckle as he spread his paws.

"Welcome to the Warren." Bunny stiffened suddenly, ears twitching as he spun about.

"Something's up." He said suddenly, the others, having recovered fully were standing behind him; watching him to see what he'd do. Bunny whipped out his boomerangs and the others shifted into battle stances, the stone sentinels making grinding noises as they shifted to a less friendly side of their faces. Bunny let out a battle cry as did the others as they ran forward only to stop short when Bunny froze as a little girl with blonde hair, who was screaming stopped in front of them. The others nearly colliding into Bunny when he stopped short all of the sudden; they stared down at the little girl who was holding three unpainted eggs whose little legs were kicking while other unpainted eggs were scurrying away from the young girl. She just gawked at them as they were her.

"Sophie?" Jack asked, suddenly they all shifted into friendlier stances, smiles suddenly plastered on their faces.

"Elf, elf, elf!" The girl cried when she saw the elf and began to chase it around.

"What is SHE doing here?"

"Snow globe." North said, a little guilty as he searched himself, quickly figuring that he was indeed missing one of his normal snow globes that he kept close.

"Crickey somebody do something!" Bunny said.

"Don't look at me, I'm invisible remember?" Jack said when Bunny turned to look at him, he floated over to a nearby stone that was egg shaped to watch how Bunny would handle the "menace" that was now running about his home.

"Don't worry Bunny, I bet she's a fairy fan!" Tooth said suddenly, flying past the girl to draw her attention before striking a pose. It worked like a charm, the girl let go of the elf who scrambled to hide behind a yeti as she stared wide-eyed at Tooth.

"Pretty." She said, wonder and awe gleaming in her eyes.

"Awww…" Tooth was taken with the little girl. She closed one fist, pulling out some of the teeth with her magic that they had gathered just recently.

"You know what, I've got something for you!" Tooth fluttered excitedly and held out her hand with the teeth in it. Her eyes excited as she looked down at the teeth.

"Here it is! Look at all the pretty teeth with little blood and gum on them!" The girl looked at her hand then up at Tooth who looked at the girl. The girl's face went from awe to horror and she screamed, running the other direction. Jack laughed a little.

"Blood and gums? When is the last time any of you hung out with kids?" He asked as he watched Sophie chase after some eggs to their hiding spot under a stone egg's open mouth.

"Peek-a-boo!" She yelled at them, causing them to scatter from beneath the small overhanging that the stone provided and skitter as fast as their little feet could carry them towards Bunny who was gently shepherding them away from the girl.

"We are busy bringing joy to children." North began.

"We don't have time … " Sophie ran past, giggling as she chased some colorful butterflies, causing the Guardian to watch her in confusion even as he shifted his gaze back to Jack to complete his sentence.

"… for children?" It came out more as a question than a comment now and Jack chuckled as he realized that the Guardian was seeing how little sense what he was trying to say made. How could they bring joy to children if they didn't know what children liked? A snowflake appeared and circled his hand, he commented as he watched it.

"If one little kid can ruin Easter, then your in worse shape than I thought." He set the snowflake towards the girl who grinned.

"Weee! Wee wee weee!" She called out gleefully as she chased the snowflake until it swirled out of her reach and landed on Bunny's nose, a bit of Jack's magic falling over the Pooka who smiled a little. He took the little girl's hand and led her over to the hills on the other side of the tunnel where various tulips grew. The two watched as a tulip bloomed and an egg was shown to be nestled inside, it grew legs in quick succession.

"You want to paint some eggs, yeah?" Bunny asked as the girl giggled at the unpainted egg that stood on the flower.

"Okay!" The girl piped happily. Bunny hoisted the girl onto his back and hopped ahead of the eggs that were heading down trail that held other tulips and several other similar flowers that waved gently as Bunny passed and puffed out varying colors at the eggs that marched behind. Tooth flew over the expanse, keeping away from the eggs. North stood on small pebbles to keep from crushing any of the eggs that passed beneath him on their way to be painted. Jack perched on the top of his staff to allow the eggs to make their way beneath him without being in their way.

"Uhhhh how much time do we have?" Jack asked, watching as dozens upon dozens of eggs continued to run past him and his staff. He couldn't help but smile a little as he heard Bunny shouting ahead orders at his eggs, about how they would be everywhere. It was a sight to see, watching the eggs that were colored by the flowers get new colors and mixes of colors when they jumped into a river; bobbing up and down like apples only to move out of the river into a pile of vines that etched patterns on them when they squeezed themselves through the tiny loops at the end. The elf that had come along had managed to not only get himself painted by the river, but also ended up in one of the vines and Jack couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up at the sight the elf made.

Jack had never seen Bunny work and this was, he could see, the fastest way to get so many eggs colored while piles of others that hadn't gone through the vines were being painted by yetis and Bunny. Even Jack and Tooth picked up a paintbrush to add swirls and other Easter designs to many of the eggs. Once Jack was done with his pile he noticed some of the eggs marching off down the path, his finished eggs following on their own legs. Jack saw Bunny was sitting on a small ledge that overlooked a path below that led to dozens and dozens of tunnels.

"Not bad." Jack said as he joined Bunny, the girl was standing in front of Bunny, holding a painted egg in her hands.

"Not bad at all." Bunny replied with a smile. The girl sighed and Bunny held her as she began to fall asleep in his arms, exhausted. Seeing this side of Bunny, Jack felt that he'd judged the Pooka wrongly… maybe he wasn't all about his own season and cared more about the kids than Jack had thought the rabbit might.

"Look… I'm sorry about the whole kangaroo thing." He said with a soft smile for Sophie. How could he not like the kid? She was just so darned cute, though he had to admit he had a soft spot for her brother who was so willing to believe in things he hadn't seen with his own eyes.

"It's the accent isn't it?" Bunny asked and for the first time the Pooka's smile was aimed towards Jack, who couldn't help but chuckle. Bunny looked down at the kid in his paws.

"Look at her… all tuckered out." Bunny said softly as North and Tooth came to join them.

"I love her." Tooth said softly, landing next to Bunny to gaze fondly at the child.

"I think it's time to take her home."

"Why don't I take her home?" Jack offered, after all, he knew where she lived.

"Jack no, Pitch is-" Tooth began, worry on her face. Jack held out his staff.

"No match for this." He interrupted her confidently; he knew he was the only one out of them who could get the girl home without worrying about running into Pitch.

"Which is why we need you here mate, with us." Bunny said, straightening as Tooth held the child, having taken her from Bunny as she'd planned to take the child home. North nodded.

"Trust me, I'll be quick as a bunny." Jack said with a reassuring smile to the others. They seemed to hesitate, but Tooth had nodded and handed the sleeping child to Jack who had soared off, the girl tucked safely in his arms; staff clutched tightly in one hand behind the girl. It took him no time at all to reach Burgess and the home where the child lived.

Jack flew to the girl's room. He'd peered inside at varying times, but not as often as he had Jamie's room; he almost laughed as he had to untangle himself from her to get her into the bed and he winced when she rolled over and rolled right out of bed and onto the floor. Babytooth, who had accompanied him, squeaked in her own form of a wince.

"Sophie? Is that you?" The children's mother called up, Jack grabbed the covers from the girl's bed and tossed it over her as well as a toy that squeaked and he and Babytooth darted back out the window; Jack closed it behind them.

"Maybe we should get back." Babytooth chirped her agreement.

"Jack!" Jack started as he flew up and looked around. Where was that coming from? It was familiar… somehow.

"Jack?" Babytooth soared up to join him as he followed the sound of the voice.

"I know that voice…" He mumbled as much to his little companion as to himself. He flew off as he heard it again.

"Jack!" He found himself in the forest that surrounded his pond, but it was a clearing behind his pond and he frowned a little when he saw the broken bed frame. How long had this been here?

"Jack?" The voice came again from the hole beneath the bedframe. Babytooth twittered loudly.

"Don't worry, there's still time." He reassured her before he busted the frame. He didn't hesitate to jump into the hole he'd created in the frame. He found himself in some sort of entrance, Babytooth squeaking insistently at him.

"Babytooth come on! I have to find out what that is." He insisted as he moved forward. The dimly lit place was like a maze and he saw cages that were hanging from the ceiling. They were full, he noticed when he looked over to one nearby, of Tooth's missing fairies. He instantly floated over to one.

"Shh! Keep it down! I'm gonna get you out of here just as soon as-"

"Jack? Jack!"

".. I Can." Jack finished, glancing down below. In high piles were golden canisters that Jack recognized were the missing teeth. His memories were down there… he dropped down and began digging. Pitch didn't seem to be here… wherever here was exactly. At least that's what he thought as he shifted through a handful of canisters, none of which were his.

"Looking for something?" Jack started. He knew that voice. He floated up, it was Pitch; the boogeyman laughed as Jack tried to pin down where he was at.

"Don't be afraid Jack. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Afraid? I'm not afraid of you." Jack retorted as he landed on a walk way he saw Pitch strolling down, staff up in case the other tried anything.

"Maybe not, but you are afraid of something." Pitch went on, strolling before Jack as if they weren't mortal enemies.

"You think so huh?" Jack asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was Pitch up to?

"I know so!" He said, turning back slightly to look at Jack as he went on.

"It's the one thing I always know. People's greatest fears." He turned around slowly to face Jack.

"Yours is that no one will ever believe in you." He laughed a little, a shadow came up beneath Jack and he yelped as he was sent tumbling through a shadow to another part of the lair.

"Worst of all you'll never know why. Why you? Why were you chosen to be like this?" Jack glanced around only to come face to face with Pitch again who stood in front of him.

"Well, fear not. For all the answer to that is right here." He held out the gold cylinder that Jack had been looking for. Jack wondered if this was real or just another trick of Pitch's.

"Do you want them Jack? Your memories?" He held it out to the winter spirit who looked at the thing with wide eyes. He reached out to take it but hesitated, this had to be some sort of trick, some catch… and he heard Pitch's laughter.

"Everything you wanted to know in this little box." Pitch taunted as he traveled around the confusing place, laughing as Jack gave chase.

"Why you'd ended up like this, unseen, unable to reach out to anyone. You want to know so badly. You want to reach out and grab them but you're afraid…

Afraid of what the Guardians would think; afraid of disappointing them. Well, let me ease your mind about one thing." Pitch said, having cornered Jack.

"They'll never accept you, not really."

"Stop it, stop it!" Jack yelled, covering his ears as he backed up the steps that led to an iron globe with lights on it.

"After all, you're not one of them." Pitch said as he moved forward from the shadows.

"You don't know what I am." Jack shot back, holding his staff before him now, ready to zap Pitch. He floated over to where Pitch stood, which was in front of the globe he'd seen earlier.

"Of course I do! You're Jack Frost!" Pitch said with a smile.

"You make a mess wherever you go. Why you're doing it right now." Jack lowered his staff, his eyes going wide as Pitch tossed the golden cylinder at him. Jack caught it, looking from it back up to Pitch.

"What did you do?"

"More to the point Jack… what did you do?" Pitch laughed and Jack lunged for him only to miss. Frustrated he turned back only to slam into a round stone door. He slammed one hand against it. He'd been tricked.

"Babytooth!" He realized too late that Pitch's plan had been to separate them all along and he had succeeded.

"Happy Easter, Jack." Jack looked down as he heard Pitch's voice, his eyes going wide when what he saw before him was a long trail of smashed eggs. All that work… everything he and the other Guardians had worked on… all the way through the tunnel were destroyed eggs. What had he done? He realized with a sinking feeling that Pitch had purposely delayed him and now Easter wasn't going to be what it should be.

"No."


	5. Chapter 5

Easter was ruined. Pitch had seen to that, Jack realized, as he hurried through the tunnel; cringing when he saw all of the eggs that were smashed. It was only when he got near the end and flew out did the ruin of eggs stop. As if they had been just at the door of the hole only to be smashed down, Jack felt guilty. He had let Pitch delay him, had fallen right into the Boogeyman's trap and now all of their hard work had come to naught. He found himself in unfamiliar territory, he wasn't sure where he was exactly, the grass around him was as green as it should be in spring and the trees' leaves were in full greenery as well. Jack felt his heart thud painfully in his chest as he could only watch Bunny attempt to make contact with some of the children, telling them there were eggs only to have one of the children walk right through him. He winced; he knew all too well what that felt like and now… so did Bunny. The Pooka seemed to fold up into himself; Tooth appeared to comfort the distraught Guardian of Hope.

"Jack! Where were you?" North asked and Jack turned around, not realizing the gold cylinder that Pitch had tossed him was still in his hand.

"I… I was…" How could he explain that he'd fumbled so very badly? That this had happened because he had been so intent on finding his memories and what should have been a short trek had turned into a longer delay than he had ever meant it to be. Tooth fluttered over to him, her eyes going wide as her hands fluttered to her mouth; she recognized it.

"Jack… where did you get that?" She glanced around, suddenly noticing the lack of her little fairy.

"Where's Babytooth?" She asked, Jack felt like his heart was being ripped in two.

"I knew it! We never should have trusted you!" Jack flinched away from Bunny who had come up behind him, his eyes going wide.

"I… " It was all he could say as the emerald eyes regarded him with anger that melted into sorrow quick as a lightening strike.

"Easter is… new beginnings, new life. Easter is about hope… and now it's gone." Jack was floored. What could he possibly say? Yes he'd screwed up, he hadn't meant for this to happen… he really hadn't. Old resentment for the Pooka welled up inside him and Jack shouted before he could even think about what he was saying.

"When have you ever shown any trust in me? I messed up! I know it but you said so yourself, _kangaroo_, that I wasn't a Guardian! I'm not like you…. I'm not **one** of you…" North and Tooth stared at Jack; there was a hint of almost desperation in his voice in the last part before Jack left the three Guardians, leaving snowflakes behind him that soon melted. Bunny stared after Jack, mouth agape. He felt their trust in Jack had been misplaced but that didn't mean… Oh crickey… Bunny found himself caught in a torrent of conflicting emotions. He was angry at Jack for messing up, for not keeping his word to come back quickly and at the same time he was angry at himself for not seeing how much Jack was trying to fit in… how much the other spirit seemed to want to try and be worthy of what he'd been asked to be despite his denial in the beginning when he'd been scooped up from the streets by North's yetis and brought to the pole. Frustrated at the conflicting thoughts and emotions, Bunny retreated with the others back to the pole. He felt he had a right to be mad at Jack for this and yet at the same time… he felt like he needed to make this up to Jack, as if Bunny had been the one to wrong him instead of the other way around. Things had gone from bad to worse for the Guardians… there was no way this could get too much worse for the three; the loss of hope in their believers sent their numbers plummeting even more than before and faster…

Jack landed in the southern pole; in his anger he moved to hurl the memories off the cliff but every time he came close to going through with it he stopped short. After a third try he let his arm drop uselessly by his side. He let out a frustrated sound, knowing he couldn't just toss them away. As much as he wanted to get rid of the offending thing for causing him to completely alienate Bunny and destroy Easter… he still desperately wanted to know the memories that were locked inside.

"I thought this might happen." Jack narrowed his eyes slightly in frustration when he got over the brief shock of hearing the voice behind him. Pitch was the very LAST being he wanted to talk to right now.

"They never really believed in you, I was just trying to show you that, but I understand." The last words grated on Jack and he spun around, swinging his staff at Pitch and sending a stretch of ice lightning at the Boogeyman who dodged.

"You don't understand anything!" Jack cried as he leapt towards the other, sending another shot at him that the shade blocked even as he spoke.

"No?! I don't know what it's like to be cast out?" Jack rolled away from a shot of black sand that Pitch sent his way.

"To not be believed in?!" Pitch continued his rant as he sent another shot of sand at Jack who leapt into the air to dodge it and released another blast of his lightning at the Boogeyman with a yell. Pitch's sand flew up before him to block it. The resulting white cloud obscuring Pitch from Jack's view and anything else around him momentarily.

"To long for…" Jack spun around, Pitch was behind him now, but the vulnerable look in those golden eyes made him hesitate even as he pointed his staff at his enemy.

"A family?" Seeing that the Boogeyman looked so vulnerable… so human, Jack could only stare in shock and lower his weapon. Pitch went on.

"All those years in the shadows I thought 'no one knows what this feels like.' and now I see I was wrong." Pitch seemed so sincere that Jack felt he understood him for once…. Even after all that had happened, finally here was someone who could understand what it meant to not have things like friends or family around. Jack could only stare incredously at Pitch then, lowering his staff completely; had everyone judged Pitch wrong all this time just as the Guardians had misjudged Jack?

"We don't have to be alone Jack. I believe in you and I **know** children will too!" He said as he shifted cautiously closer to the winter spirit, Jack looked down at the snow beneath him in thought. Could everything he'd heard and known about the Boogeyman before been so wrong? Could his true place be… maybe… not with the Guardians… but… maybe… ?

"In me?" He asked hesitantly, momentarily glancing up at the other spirit hopefully, did he dare believe it could happen?

"Yes!" Pitch said enthusiastically.

"Look at what we can do!" Jack turned a little to see what Pitch was talking about, the giant sculpture before him jutted out angrily but there was a certain sort of beauty in the mix of ice and black sand that seemed almost aggressive to Jack.

"What goes together better than cold and dark?" Pitch asked, stepping back as Jack looked up towards the top of the "art" they had created together.

"We'll make them believe! We'll give them a world where everything… _everything_ is-" Pitch had gotten carried away in his ramblings, there was glee in his eyes, but Jack was suspicious now.

"Pitch Black?" He asked, his eyes narrowing a little as he said as much. Pitch seemed to pause.

"And Jack Frost too." He seemed to try and reassure them both.

"They'll believe in both of us." Maybe he meant it, but that wasn't how Jack was seeing things; in fact he was pretty sure now he saw where this was going.

"No, they'll _fear_ both of us and that's not what I want." He turned his back on Pitch, sure that the other wasn't going to strike at him.

"Now, for the last time. Leave me alone." He didn't see the wounded look on Pitch's face that soon became hardened.

"Very well. You want to be left alone, done. But first…" The sound of a familiar squeak had Jack spinning about, eyes going wide as he saw the little fairy clutched in Pitch's hand.

"Babytooth!" Jack ran forward a few steps but halted when Pitch's hand seemed to tighten a little. Jack wasn't about to get too close least Pitch squeeze the life out of the little fairy. He brought his staff about to attack, determination steeling his gaze, but he knew he couldn't because that meant risking hitting the little fairy.

"The staff Jack!" Pitch demanded when Jack made no more moves towards him. Jack's eyes flickered momentarily to the staff in his hands then back to Pitch.

"You have a bad habit of interfering. Hand it over… and I'll let her go." Pitch seemed sincere, his hardened look dropping with the last of his words to be replaced by a look of one who was genuinely offering a trade. Babytooth shook her head in denial, she didn't want Jack to give up his weapon just for her but Jack didn't seem to notice the movement. His grip tightened and he jabbed the staff forward a little in the air, but it was an empty threat and frustration and anger filled his expression as he stared at Pitch a moment longer before resignation seemed to knock all the fight out of him and he slumped. He barely noticed the small smile on Pitch's face that told him that Pitch had been expecting this all along and some how… in some strange way, approved as Jack twirled the staff around and offered it with one hand. He didn't even look at Pitch as he offered it, letting go when he felt the jolt that told him Pitch had taken ahold. He'd never been without it since he'd become Jack Frost… Well, it was worth it if it meant Babytooth was safe. It was the very least he could do to make it up to her for leaving her in Pitch's grasp…. A first step to making up for his mistake to all the Guardians really; he turned to face Pitch again, holding out his hand for his friend.

"Alright, now let her go." Pitch looked down at his hand briefly before glancing up again to meet Jack's eyes.

"No." Jack's eyes widened a little in surprise, it had never occurred to him that the other would go back on the deal.

"You said you wanted to be alone. So **be** alone!" Pitch growled and Babytooth, realizing she needed to get to Jack, stabbed the hand that held her with her beak-like nose. Pitch let out a cry of pain before growling and sending her flying into the glacier wall several feet away.

"No." Jack cried, fearing the little fairy might be hurt. He turned back to Pitch who snapped his staff in half over one knee. Jack cried out at the pain that suddenly lanced through him; well, now he knew what Pitch wanted his staff for and moon did it hurt! He felt like someone had stabbed him and didn't have too much time to react as Pitch sent a shot of sand at him, slamming him back into the same wall he'd sent the fairy flying into. Jack let out a cry of pain again as he hit the ice before falling down into the crevice below. The last thing that Jack heard was the sound of Pitch's laughter and the wood that had been his staff clattering against the ice as it fell into the crevice with him and Babytooth. Some time later Jack began to come to again, he felt battered, but otherwise he was no worse for the wear. He shifted and saw that the little fairy was lying nearby.

"Babytooth." He grunted a little as he went over to her and scooped her up.

"You alright?" He closed one hand over her to soothe any hurts only to hear a protesting squeak and he quickly moved his hand. The fairy looked up at him, arms and feet crossed as if to keep herself warm. She seemed to be okay, until she sneezed and Jack sighed, glancing away from her.

"Sorry, all I can do is keep you cold." He sat up, holding Babytooth in one hand; depression slowly settling into him.

"Pitch was right." He sat back on his feet, closing his eyes, his head dropping.

"I make a mess of everything." He had failed to properly save Babytooth and in offering his staff in trade, in trusting the shade, his weapon had been busted and the little fairy was now in danger of freezing to death with him.

Babytooth had other plans, however; hearing the despair in his voice made her want to help him and there was one way she knew how to help. He had his teeth after all and she could help him discover who he had once been. She hopped from his hand to his lap and snuggled into his pocket to get to the gold cylinder that lay within.

"Hey." There was little real protest and Jack sighed as he sat back against the ice wall, he figured if the fairy was going to find any warmth it would be in his pocket, the furthest thing from his skin and out of the cold that surrounded them. He lay his head against the wall, closing his eyes. Why had he ever thought he could try and be a Guardian? Why had he bothered to think that maybe – for once – he could do something worthwhile instead of making others mad at him? It seemed to be all he was good at, he might as well just spend the rest of his immortal life in this frozen hole.

"Jack? Jack!" The voice he knew, and yet did not, cut into his thoughts. He slowly shifted to look down, barely noticing the glow at first. Suddenly startled.

"Whoa!" He realized it had to be the tooth cylinder in his pocket, Babytooth had activated it; he stumbled back into another wall a little ways behind him as he reached into the pocket and withdrew the golden cylinder.

"Jack!" He stared at it; a beautiful diamond pattern with blue, gold and green seemed to decorate the flat surface. For a moment, staring at the container was all that he could do and when he lowered it a little he saw that Babytooth was sitting on his leg now, looking up at him. She nodded her head, putting one hand on the flat surface; she seemed to be encouraging him to touch it. With curious awe, Jack moved to touch his own hand to the surface as Babytooth removed hers. The designs began to glow and sparkle at his touch and then seemed to slowly take over his vision of the smiling Babytooth who watched; Jack's eyes widening as memories he had forgotten before played out before his eyes. He'd had friends… a family… a mother and sister! More importantly he'd watched from afar as his human self had coaxed his sister into trusting him when she'd found herself on thin ice and he saw himself toss the girl aside after gaining her trust. The two of them laughed, Jack found himself back in the place he'd been 300 years before… and then felt the ice give way beneath him before he heard it. The last thing he heard then was his sister's cry. He felt the iciness of the water grip him and things go dark, his eyes closed for what was only a moment to him but really seemed like an eternity before his eyes shot open as Jack Frost and he found himself thrust out of the memories. Suddenly, it all clicked, it all made sense and excitement ran through him as he looked down at Babytooth.

"Did you see… did you see that?" He asked, the little fairy shook her head from where she sat on the frozen ground. He scooped her up happily, the cylinder forgotten on the ground a moment.

"It… it was me! I had a family! I had a sister! I saved her!" He laughed a little, but it died as it struck him. Suddenly the words he'd said dawned on him and he looked skyward, seeing the full moon looking down on him as it always had.

"That's why you chose me." His eyes widened with realization.

"I'm… I'm a Guardian." A smile bloomed on his face. Looking around he spotted his staff a few feet away. He set Babytooth on his shoulder and stuck the cylinder back into his pocket for safe keeping until he could return it to Tooth. He slid on his knees along the snow and ice, stopping near it to pick up the two halves. He fit them together, as if he could make them stick. When they just fell apart again he let out a sound of frustration before getting to his feet once more and slamming the two ends back together. He closed his eyes, he could do this… he was certain he could repair the weapon… and Babytooth's happy chirping caused him to open his eyes and he grinned when he saw his magic mending the staff back into one piece. He had thought that maybe the staff was the source of his power, but that wasn't true; the power had been inside him the whole time. His staff, although a part of him and his only real physical link to the person he'd been so long ago, was just a tool, but he wasn't about to let it go. He shot up; Babytooth safely snuggled in his hood.

"Thanks Babytooth! I owe you one!" He said as he shot towards Burgess; he knew what he needed to do and this time he didn't intend to fail.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack raced as fast as he could back to Burgess, shooting down into Pitch's lair and headed straight for the first cage. He swung open the cage's door easily.

"You're free! Come on!" The fairies on their perches just chirped at him and he looked at them in worried confusion.

"What's wrong?" Then he remembered how Babytooth had stayed in his hood and was perched on his shoulder now, clinging to his hoodie but had never tried to fly.

"None of you can fly?" The ugly truth dawned on him and he spun about to look at the iron globe far below.

"The lights…." This was worse than he'd thought and he landed on the floor next to it, there were only a handful left and he grimaced as he saw them. One went out, then another… three were left… then two winked out at once but the last one stayed bright. Jack leapt up on the globe to get a better look at its location. His eyes widened as he realized it could only be one person.

"Jamie." Excited, he set Babytooth down to stay with her sisters before zipping out of the Boogeyman's lair and heading straight for the house that was on the edge of town, only a few feet from his pond really, which wasn't – to his dismay – that far from where Pitch's lair was. How had he lived so close to Pitch and yet never noticed the Boogeyman? He shook the thought away as he paused to hover outside the window that was opened just a little. Peering in with uncertainty, he saw the boy was on his bed, holding onto his stuffed rabbit. He seemed to be having a serious conversation with it. At first he didn't understand what about until the next words came from the boy and they hit home.

"I've believed in you for a long time, my whole life in fact." That was what this was about… Jamie… he was on the verge of losing his belief!

"So, you kind of owe me." The boy said, staring at the brown rabbit in his hands, hoping against hope that the rabbit he'd seen that night he'd lost his tooth, could hear him as he spoke to his stuffed version.

"You don't have to do much, just a little sign. Anything… anything at all." Jack wasn't sure he should intervene. After all, the kid was waiting to hear from Bunnymund, but he knew that the Guardian wasn't even within earshot. The look of pure disappointment that began to cross the boy's face made Jack feel like he'd had the wind knocked out of him.

"I knew it." The stuffed rabbit slid from the boy's hands and onto the bed only to fall onto the floor and suddenly he knew he had to do… something! He'd done enough to hurt Easter, he'd let the Guardians down… but he couldn't just let the last believer stop believing! The boy had said anything… so what if… He crept into the room, pushing the window open as he did; he touched the windowpane, causing it to frost over. The boy seemed to turn at the sound and he quickly etched a picture of an Easter egg into his frost. The boy gasped as Jack finished with the egg.

"He's real!" The boy's eyes went wide and Jack smiled. He had done it! The boy still believed, but he wanted to cement it… just to make sure… he extended the frost to the pane below the egg and drew a bunny. Closing his eyes he reached for his power deep within him, he'd had to set his staff on the wall to do this, but he was able to pull the bunny from the pane into a three-dimensional frost creature. The boy began to laugh as the frost creature hopped about the room in the air just like a real rabbit would.

Jack couldn't help but laugh along with the boy as he watched his creation skitter about on its own, dodging the boy's attempts to touch it until the boy jumped a little and managed to touch the creation and it burst into snow. The boy paused, seeming confused as he spoke.

"Snow?" He was facing away from Jack and seemed to fall on his knees a moment as he thought this through.

"Jack Frost…."

"Did he just say… ?" Jack asked, moving towards the bed.

"Jack Frost?" The boy sat up a little straighter. Jack's eyes went wide and he took a step back.

"He said it again! He said…. You said…" Jack said, talking to himself about this as he had done in past times to keep himself sane, but now he was looking at the boy who was slowly turning around. Dare he hope? The boy's mouth dropped open as chocolate brown eyes focused onto his.

"Jack Frost." There was a kind of awed disbelief in the tone.

"That's right!" He could scarcely believe it! This child had connected his creation with him! Not with Bunny or North, or Tooth or even Sandy but HIM!

"But that's me! Jack Frost! That's my name! You said my name!" This was unbelievable! Finally he was getting some credit for his work! It was beyond what he'd ever thought it would be! Finally someone understood that it was HE who was doing this sort of thing! Then another thought struck him as he looked at the boy who seemed to be looking right at him; not through him, not at someone else… AT HIM. Could it be…?

"Wait… can you hear me?" Jamie slowly nodded, still staring open-mouthed at the frost spirit before him.

"Can you… can you see me?" He almost didn't dare hope, but… he had to know… The boy's gaping mouth soon became a gaping smile as he nodded. Jack felt suddenly so happy! He'd not ever remembered feeling this in his whole life.

"He… he sees me… He sees me!" He suddenly laughed with joy and did a summersault right onto the desk behind him. This was too good to be true but the boy was still staring at him! This wasn't a dream or some nightmare; at long last this was real! All his efforts… all those years… someone could see him!

"You _just_ made it snow!" The boy seemed almost as excited as Jack felt, not quite but sure close!

"I know." Jack couldn't stop smiling.

"In **my room!**"

"I know!" He said, enthusiastically.

"You're real?" Jack jumped down onto the floor again, approaching this boy. This boy who could see him; his first believer, he could scarcely believe it still!

"Yeah! Man, who do you think brings you all the snow days?" He asked, waving his arms about for emphasis.

"And you remember when you went sliding on that sled the other day?" He asked, wondering if the boy remembered sliding along the ice coaster that Jack had made for him, that was the reason that the boy had lost his tooth.

"That was you?" The boy asked, excitement growing in his eyes.

"That was me!" Jack crowed. FINALLY! The boy had ignored him that day, but now Jamie knew who had sent him on that wild, fun ride and who it was that had protected him even as he'd weaved in and out of traffic and had landed safely on the snow bank before the town statue. Granted, it was kind of his fault too that Jamie had lost his tooth, but he doubted the boy cared.

"Cool!" The boy lifted his arms as he bounced in his excitement.

"I know! Right?"

"But, what about the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? I mean-" The boy said quickly, his excitement replaced by doubt.

"Real! Real!" Jack said, his joy not dampened at the slightest by the boy's questioning words. He scooped up the stuffed rabbit as he said for emphasis.

"Every one of us is real." He handed it back to the boy.

"I knew it!" The boy grinned though it turned into something of guilt when a woman's voice rang out; it was his mother.

"Jamie! Who are you talking to?" Jamie glanced over at Jack, but Jack just smirked and tilted his head towards the door, indicating that Jamie should answer her.

"Ummmm… Jack Frost?" He replied, it ended up sounding like a question only to be answered by a chuckle and an "okay" to follow.

Jamie couldn't help laughing; knowing his mother hadn't believed him, but still caught up in that this was all real! That night in his room had been real and right in front of him was the personification of winter! Jack laughed with him, delight shining in his eyes until there was the sound of a crack. His laughter died instantly as he moved over to the window. He saw movement in the sky and he couldn't help the grimace that crossed his features; glad he wasn't facing the boy so Jamie wouldn't see it. It was North's sleigh and he could hear the man shouting orders at the deer.

"You might want to go into your yard. You have visitors." Jack said, turning back to Jamie with a small smile. He figured the boy would want to see the Guardians, even if they weren't in top condition. As the boy hurried out of his room and down the stairs of his house as quietly as possible, Jack grabbed his staff and leapt out the window to float down to the street where the sleigh had landed; the reindeer were no where in sight.

"Jack!" Tooth said and leapt out of the sleigh, her wings fluttered as if she could fly but she just landed on her knees on the ground instead.

"You okay?" Jack asked, leaning down to help her up. She smiled and soothed some of her head feathers. Jack didn't have time to think on the gesture or the way Tooth was looking at him just then.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" North asked, he was leaning heavily on one sword like a cane. Jack gave the Guardian a friendly smile.

"Same as you." Jamie came running out at that moment.

"The last light…" North said in awe, his face brightening a little more as the boy ran over to the three. His excitement seeming to grow as North held out a hand towards him, Jamie took it, bouncing a little.

"I knew it wasn't a dream!" He turned back to look at Jack with a smile, letting go of North's hand. Realization dawned on North suddenly, this boy could see Jack!  
"Jack… He sees you!" Jack just grinned and nudged the boy's shoulder when the boy had drawn back to stand next to him. Jack's expression fell though from a smile to one of worry.

"But… where's Bunny?" The smile fell from North's face and even Tooth looked sad.

"Losing Easter took its toll on all of us." He began as he and Tooth stepped apart.

"Bunny most of all." Tooth looked at the sleigh and a gray blue toned bunny hopped up from the sleigh onto the side.

"Oh no…." Guilt slammed into him anew. He was responsible for this… because of putting his own wants and needs ahead of doing what he knew he should have, Bunny was now so weak that he had reverted back to this form… a form he had known before being a Guardian and Jack knew suddenly that this was the Pooka's weakest form and if the last light had stopped believing then Bunny might have ceased to be all together, along with Tooth and North.

Pitch had taunted them back in Tooth's Palace about how the Guardians relied heavily on the belief of children to help them protect what they did in children, even told him that when children stopped believing that what they protected – wonder, hopes, dreams, memories – it vanished when they stopped believing and so did the Guardians. Jack hadn't realized just how literal Pitch had been being that morning when they had faced him after he'd stolen the teeth and all of Tooth's fairies save one… Jamie stared before laughing.

"That's the Easter Bunny?" He asked, moving to stand next to the tiny rabbit that had hopped down onto the wing below. He stood up suddenly on his hind legs, seeming insulted.

"Finally! Someone sees me! Where were you about an hour ago mate?" The accusing stare in the rabbit's eyes didn't seem to affect the boy. Jamie turned back to Jack who had briefly shared a glance with North as Jack had moved after Jamie, not wanting to be too far from his first believer.

"What happened to him? He used to be cool and huge…" Jamie waved about his arms for emphasis on Bunnymund's former height.

"Now he's… cute." Jamie gently scratched under one cheek and Jack had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing when Bunny reacted just like a normal rabbit for a brief moment, enjoying the physical attention before batting away the hand.

"Did you tell him to say that?" He scowled at Jack. Hopping down and over to Jack, jumping up and kicking his shins though Jack barely felt the "attack" on his legs from the tiny creature.

"Alright, that's it! Let's go! You and me!" Bunny hopped up and down like a boxer ready to fight.

"No!" Jamie insisted, kneeling next to Bunny who turned to him, looking at him surprised even as the young boy went on.

"He told me you were real, even when I started to think that maybe you weren't." Bunny stared wide-eyed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"He made you believe… in me?" Jamie nodded with a smile and Bunny turned to look at Jack, his eyes softening and a genuine smile gracing his features. Jack smiled back, he had finally proven to Bunny that he cared… that he wasn't just some trickster spirit out to wreak havoc on everyone; finally, Bunny trusted him. Jack wasn't going to do anything to betray that trust ever again, he vowed that silently to himself; once this was all over… never again would he ever put his own needs above what the Guardians asked him to do. Bunny suddenly let out a startled cry and spun around seconds before the crackle of thunder reached the ears of the others. They looked up, Jack felt hatred punch through his gut at the black cloud that greeted his sight and the figure that rode up upon it like some angel of death. Pitch.


	7. Chapter 7

"Get Jamie out of here." Jack said, not looking at the Guardians as he clenched his hands around his staff, determination etched into his features. He'd fought Pitch before, at Antarctica. He could hold his own, he was sure of this as he took off towards the approaching Boogeyman.

"Be careful Jack!" North called after him.

"Jack Frost." Pitch said it like he almost couldn't believe Jack was there and at the same time annoyed that he was. The shade sighed as if he'd faced Jack a thousand times and was getting fed up.

"Let's end this shall we?" He asked as he let himself drop from the sand cloud towards Jack who was rising up to meet him. Jack sent out the lightning he'd used before to knock Pitch back, but Pitch just raised his hands to catch it.

"That little trick doesn't work on me any**more!**" He all but crowed as he pushed back the attack, edging forward to get closer to Jack, only striking at the winter spirit only when he was closer and sending Jack hurling through the air and down to the streets below. The shade's laughter following him out of the sky; Jack hit a building roof, bounced off, hit something else – what he wasn't exactly sure – then slammed into a trash bin before rolling off it and onto the pavement below with a groan.

"Jack!" He wasn't entirely sure who had cried out, but he thought it might have been Jamie as the Guardians and the boy ran over to him. He groaned as he picked himself up, he felt the boy's hand on his shoulder as he rose and he didn't doubt that the kid was worried.

"That was good try Jack, A for effort." North said as Jack picked himself up, the Guardian patting him lightly on the back; for the first time since he'd met Pitch, he felt worry and fear. Fear that he'd be unable to protect his first believer and that he'd fail the Guardians… That everything would become dark, just as Pitch had said it would back at the Tooth Palace. He forced it down. He had to try… He had to do something… but what? Still trying to gather the strength to push himself to his feet, he crouched there a moment.

"He's stronger…. I can't beat him." Even as he said the words, he knew they were true. Jack was no longer a match for Pitch; the Boogeyman had become too strong for Jack to take on alone. He needed the strength of the other Guardians… but they were weak now. Still, he wasn't one to give up, he'd protect this boy with everything he had.

"Awwww…" The laughter that followed that word sent chills up Jack's spine as lightning flashed and Jack knew that Pitch was close by as a dark shadow passed over them, but said Boogeyman didn't yet appear; laughing at them, there was victory in that laugh and it only made Jack narrow his eyes a little as he pushed himself to his feet, looking around – as the others were doing as well – to see if he could spot the shade.

"All this fuss over one little boy and still he refuses to stop believing." The voice seemed to echo in the alleyway from all directions.

"Very well, there are other ways to snuff out a light." As he spoke a huge shadow hand ghosted over the lights that were on the side of one building and the light bulbs exploded, darkening the alleyway so that the only light that was there was coming from the moon above and a few lights that were behind the group. Jack put an arm in front of Jamie, subconsciously putting himself between the boy and the Boogeyman as Bunny raced forward boldly speaking out.

"If you want him you're going to have to go through me!"

"Ah! Look how fluffy you are!" Pitch said, a large shadow hand appearing on the ground near Bunnymund, startling the Pooka.

"Would you like a scratch behind the ears?" The shade taunted as Bunny darted away from the shadow hand and leapt up into North's palm.

"Don't you even think about it!" He snarled, but considering his appearance it wasn't very threatening.

Jack shifted to push Jamie back further as shadows began to rise up in the form of horses, realizing that the shade was likely in front of them with the Nightmares even as he continued to speak.

"I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you all like this." The shadows of the Nightmares stretched forward towards the group and Pitch appeared riding one of the Nightmares, a triumphant grin on his face.

"You look awful." Jack's eyes narrowed further as the shadows of the Nightmares and Pitch seemed to stretch towards the group even though the Nightmares had stopped advancing. This was bad, this was very bad….

"Jack." Jack turned to the boy who shifted his gaze from the Nightmares to the frost spirit.

"I'm scared." Jamie managed to say, his eyes wide with fright; Pitch hadn't scared him earlier but he was scared now. It wasn't so much because he was a kid, as much as the fact that he knew they were cornered and he wasn't so sure the Guardians could help Jack fight off Pitch… The shade had said there were other ways to snuff out a light and it was having heard that… That was what was scaring him. Jack crouched to his level, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder, his eyes hazy suddenly as he remembered hearing those very words before.

"_Jack! I'm scared." It was his sister; she was wobbling a little over the ice that was beginning to crack beneath her._

"_I know, I know, but you're going to be alright."_

Realization began to dawn in his eyes, he finally got it even as he spoke the words aloud.

"We're going to have a little fun instead… That's it! That's my center!" Jamie gave Jack a confused look, not understanding what he was talking about or what it meant. Jack stood up, however; he knew what to do now. Pitch laughed, the Nightmares drawing closer now; he was certain of his victory as he looked at the boy Jack was trying to reassure. Jack stood up, determination on his features once more as the shade spoke.

"So what do you think, Jamie? Do you believe in the Boogey- agh!" He was cut off when a snowball smacked right into his face. Jamie laughed, as did North and they looked at Jack who tossed another snowball up in the air only to catch it. He glanced around, there were some trash items nearby but Jack knew they'd work just fine as impromptu sleds. He turned to the others with a smile.

"Now let's go get your friends." He said, jerking his head at the items even as he addressed Jamie. Once everyone had grabbed a "sled" Jack sent a road of ice shooting off along the ground between the Nightmares and the group shot off like they'd been launched from rockets. The Guardians laughed in joy, along with Jamie as Jack flew ahead of the group just as he had done before when he had first taken Jamie for a ride on his ice. He made a loop and the group seemed to love it as much as the jumps he made; he couldn't stop a grin from forming on his face as he sent out ice; he picked up Jamie, the boy whooping in sheer joy. He pointed out the house of one of his friends and Jack went to the nearest window, using his staff to summon and send a snowball crashing into it. Pippa came to the window as Jack floated near it; her eyes wide.

"Jamie! How are you doing that?!"

"Jack Frost!" He replied with laughter, pointing behind him at what looked first to be thin air, she watched Jamie fly off but when a snowflake hit her nose she blinked as a white-haired teen seemed to materialize next to Jamie, gripping the back of the boy's shirt; he wore a blue hoodie and tan pants.

"Is that…?" She squinted hard as if she couldn't see well.

"Jack Frost!" Monty said from across from her, laughing gleefully as he fought to get his coat zipped.

Soon the whole group was laughing and whooping as they joined the Guardians on their own sleds and rode down the strip of ice that Jack was making in front of them. When they got downtown, however, Jack stopped forming the ice and a look of dismayed horror crossed his features as he saw what lay before him. North's eyes went wide when he too saw it; the children behind him were no less startled when the looked over the Guardian's shoulder to see what had stopped their fun. Blocks away, rising like a tidal wave, a wall of black sand loomed and in it were the cries of Nightmares and flashes of lightning. Pitch sat on his mount on the roof of a nearby building while the children huddled behind the Guardians who now stood just behind Jack. He glared down at the group, calling out.

"You think a few children can help you? Against this?!" The group stared up in worry at what they faced; it seemed that these odds were not in their favor. Not one to give up, North shifted to point a saber at Pitch to threaten him but he wavered almost instantly and groaned a little, going back to using the sword like a cane. Tooth and Jack were at his side almost as soon as the sword had landed on the pavement with a soft "thunk." Jamie let out a gasp, eyes wide as he began to realize just how powerless the other Guardians were now in the face of everything; how could they hope to defeat Pitch if Santa couldn't even stand on his own? Jack turned around to look at the boy.

"They're just bad dreams Jamie." The boy took a deep breath. Just bad dreams? He could handle that, couldn't he?

"We'll protect you mate." Bunny said, looking over his shoulder at the kids." Pitch laughed.

"Awww, you'll protect them?" Apparently Pitch had good hearing.

"But who will protect **you?**" None of the Guardians answered, not even Jack had an immediate answer for that, but an idea began to form in his mind. Pitch had once offered Jack the opportunity to join him… if Pitch still wanted him and it meant keeping these kids safe… He glanced at North, the look in the other Guardian's eyes told him all he needed to know; that the Guardian of Wonder understood what he was about to do and wasn't going to stop him. Not that he could, not that any of them could; all this happened in the fraction of a second. His mind made up, Jack turned back to Pitch, determined. Jack took a couple of steps forward but a movement near him caught his eye and he turned, surprised to see it was Jamie.

"I will." The boy said, eyes shining with determination.

"I will." Cupcake said darkly, pushing between the other children to join Jamie in front of the Guardians.

"I will!"

"I will!" The two twins pushed their way up to the others.

"And me." Pippa said, though she didn't feel as brave as the others seemed to be.

"I'll try." Monty said, obviously not sure about what he was doing but if it meant helping those who had swore to protect him… well, what did he have to lose? The Guardians just watched this, surprise bright in their eyes at the bravery that these six children were showing for their sake. Willing to fight when the Guardians themselves didn't have the strength to.

Jamie turned to look at Jack whose surprise gave way to determination. A single look that said "we're with you." before turning back to stare at the Boogeyman defiantly.

"Still think there's no such thing as the Boogeyman?" Pitch asked darkly, scowling at how these human brats were standing in defiance of him and the fear he represented, the fear he could bring. The wall of black sand surged forward, the Nightmares that were at the head cried out fearsome whinnies as they charged. Jamie shook his head a little as he answered, his eyes not leaving Pitch even as the surge of Nightmares knocked over light posts and caused the light bulbs to burst, cars that got in the way were tossed about like toys.

"I do believe in you, I'm just not afraid of you!" A gasp rose from one of the children as the Nightmares drew up over the group, posing to strike; Jack's eyes went wide. How was he supposed to fend against all of this if his lightning didn't work anymore? Jamie held up one hand as the sand shot down towards him, Pitch wanted that brat dead and gone. **He** was the reason the other children were defying him and with that boy out of the picture the others would lose their faith and bravery and he would be rid of the Guardians soon after. The boy raised one hand, not blinking or shying away from the sand as a few of his friends did; as soon as it touched his hand though it turned from black to gold and swirled away from Jamie and the others, flowing about in the air as Jamie gaped.

"Whoa ho!" He cried, surprised that the sand had suddenly changed in his hands. Everyone stared in joyful wonder, laughing as the sand swirled about the group playfully before many strands went off to find people to give good dreams to. Pitch's Nightmare reared in startlement and the shade sneered at what he was seeing as he fought to get the Nightmare under his control. As the children laughed, Tooth gasped as her wings began to beat a mile a minute again and she was able to take off again.

"Yeah! Tooth Fairy!" One of the children cried out as Tooth zoomed about. North let out his own exclamation of joy as he felt his strength returning and he was able to heft both his sabers once more.

"Oh yeah!" Monty said, excited when he saw that Santa was back in action. Jack watched with an open smile, his friends seeming to return to their former selves now that the wave of threatening black sand had returned to its normal form as dreamsand.

"No!" Pitch cried as he realized the Guardians were starting to regain their powers again.

"Get them! Do your jobs!" He demanded of the Nightmares who stood nearby. The Nightmares reared and charged forward to meet the newly revitalized Guardians, and the children, in battle.

"Oh yeah, come on… come on…" Bunny said, wiggling as he felt his power slowly returning and he knew he'd be back to himself again soon. He heard nearby hoof beats though and looked over his shoulder.

"Oh crickey!" He dashed towards a nearby car.

"I'm just a bunny!" He cried out even as the Nightmares stopped near the vehicle and one stuck its nose under the car to nip at him, grabbing ahold of his tail only to pull out Bunny who was back to his normal self again. He couldn't help chuckling.

"Good day mate." He grinned and kicked the Nightmare that held him, forcing it to release its grip on his tail; he tossed his boomerangs, which cut through both Nightmares as they came back to him and he caught them. Bunny tapped the ground with one foot three times, large holes appearing as the stone sentinels he'd summoned came up from the tunnels to join the elves and yetis that North had summoned with his snow globes. The fight had turned in the favor the Guardians at last!


	8. Chapter 8

"Let's get 'em!" Cupcake yelled and the children fearlessly charged at the Nightmares, turning a nearby Nightmare into gold sand as all but Jamie touched the horse. While the Guardians and their helpers, along with the children took care of the Nightmares on the ground, Jack took to the air and headed straight for Pitch. The Nightmare King turned around, as if sensing Jack's presence and the winter spirit lunged forward, freezing Nightmares with his lightning without hesitation. The Guardians noticed the lightning strikes up on the roof where Pitch was and didn't hesitate to leave the children, the sentinels, yetis and elves to deal with what remained of the Nightmares on the ground as they rushed to Jack's side to deal with Pitch. Pitch, on the other hand, dodged Jack who ran across the rooftops with ease and tried to attack the Boogeyman only to have the other dodge him at every turn until he spun around as Jack charged forward. Jack's eyes widened as he saw too late the dark sand spear that Pitch had hurled at him. A familiar whoop came from a blur that cut into the weapon.

"Thanks Tooth!" Jack called as the fairy soared around, knocking out Nightmares that had been behind him chasing him as he'd been chasing Pitch. Bunny appeared from a nearby chimney.

"Ho ho ho!" He said, tossing one of his boomerangs; had this been any other time, Jack would have laughed at the imitation of North. As the last of the Nightmares around him were destroyed, Pitch urged his mount to the adjacent roof only to fall when North's blade cut through his mount. He quickly recovered from the fall, summoning his sand scythe to his hands to swipe at North, who dodged him even as Pitch's scythe blocked North's blades when the Guardian had attacked. Pitch forced him back only to face Bunnymund who tried to kick him, but he dodged and the Pooka sent out a boomerang at him; he dodged that too and tried to swipe at him, but missed as he pulled his scythe from the ground he grunted as Jack appeared with a kick and knocked him back a few paces. Jack landed on the ground, twirling his staff a little, the other three Guardians just behind him; North brandishing his blades, Bunny spinning one boomerang in one paw and Tooth hovering near Bunny menacingly and ready for anything that Pitch might send while Jack pointed his staff at the Nightmare king.

"It's over Pitch. There's no place to hide." Jack said, they'd cornered him in an alley just as he had done to them only moments before, but Pitch grinned. There were always places to hide. With a laugh he sank into the shadows behind him, leaving the three Guardians and Jack to spin about, their backs to one another as they searched the area for Pitch who had conjured shadows to dance along the nearby buildings as images of him. Silently he rose back up where he'd been, Jack had made the mistake of turning his back from the others to face the busses that had been at Pitch's back. Giving the Boogeyman an opportunity he wasn't going to waste. Summoning his scythe back to his hands he hefted the weapon back, ready to bring it down on the unsuspecting winter spirit.

"Jack look out!" Bunny cried, his sharp hearing having alerted him to the other spirit's presence. He tossed a boomerang at the scythe, but it only bounced off and Jack was turning to face Pitch, but he was too late as the weapon swung down. He instinctively brought up one arm, bracing himself for a blow that never came. When he peeked from behind his arm he noticed a golden strand that had curled around the scythe, stopping it just above Jack's head. Pitch didn't have time to do more than let out a small sound of surprise as he was suddenly yanked back over the busses. Jack and the others watched as Pitch flew through the air and around over to a snowy hill several blocks away. Jack's surprise began to turn into a smile and the others watched with sudden hope as they saw a mass of swirling dream sand as Pitch landed in the snow. From that sand emerged Sandy, their fellow Guardian; it had been he who had stopped the scythe from hurting Jack.

Jack could only watch with a smile as Sandy pulled Pitch to him, made a sort of "tsk tsk" motion before winding his arm and smashing his fist into Pitch's chin, sending the shade high up into the air, connected to Sandy only by the gold whip that was in the little Guardian's other hand.

"The Sandman!" Jamie said from close by. Sandy turned at the sound of a voice, making a hat at which he tipped to the children who had been responsible for bringing him back. Jamie saluted him back with two fingers, a smile on his face at their success. The hat dissolved as the Guardians moved towards their revitalized comrade and Sandy seemed to suddenly remember Pitch was still up in the air; he yanked on the gold strand and it seemed to yank the Boogeyman back from the air. Pitch let out a yell, slamming into the ground a few feet behind him as Tooth and the others gathered around him happily. Jack and Tooth were the first to arrive; Jack was ecstatic to see the little Guardian again! He'd thought Sandy had been gone for good when Pitch had shot him, but that obviously wasn't the case as the Guardian of Dreams silently raised his arms in a cheer even as North and Bunny arrived; North picking him up and tossing him into the air happily, laughing.

"Mate you are a sight for sore eyes." Bunny said with a smile, joy gleaming in the Pooka's emerald eyes. No one really taking any note of the dreamsand butterflies that flew around the head of an unconscious Pitch nearby; with Pitch defeated, Jack picked up a snowball as the children were distracted with all of the dreams that were walking, flying nearby. He aimed the snowball at Jamie and let it fly as the boy was distracted by a group of dream fish. Jamie turned to him with a laugh and picked up some nearby snow, sending his own snowball flying at someone else. Soon there was an all-out snowball fight between the kids. North moved over to Jack with a smile.

"Your center?" He said as much as asked, motioning to the snowball fight with one arm. Jack turned, considering it a brief moment before responding.

"Well, it took me a while, but I figured it out." He ended with a smile. North nodded, smiling as if he had known all along. He tossed something at Jack; Jack reached out, catching the small object and looked down at it. It was a tiny figure of him, much the same size as the small wooden nesting doll that North had once gave him of North himself as a baby; this figure was obviously not a baby by any means, but it was Jack and he was smiling as he held a large snowflake in one hand and his staff in the other. Maybe North **had** known all along…. Jack couldn't help chuckling as he peered at the tiny wooden doll that represented his center. Represented Fun. He looked up at North who just laughed. The Guardian's eyes went wide though when a snowball hit him in the back of the head and he turned to look at an elf who stood between the twins, it had a snowball in one of its hands; both of whom pointed towards the little elf. North laughed a little.

"You're all on naughty list!" He exclaimed jokingly as he stooped down to gather snow and make a snowball himself.

"Bunny, think fast!" He called, sending the snowball hurling through the air, it smacked the Pooka right in the face and knocked him over but instead of being mad the Pooka just sat up with a goofy grin on his face as North laughed and Tooth, who was hovering nearby, was trying not to laugh at the rabbit. It was soon an all out war with the kids and the Guardians throwing snowballs, none of them seemed to really notice Pitch who had gotten back up.

"No." He ducked as a manta ray dream "swam" by.

"You DARE have fun in my presence?!" He demanded.

"I am the Boogeyman and you **will** fear me!" He cried and lurched towards Jamie who was running his direction, the child looking over his shoulder to try and avoid being hit by any snowballs. Jack let a snowball fall from his hands as he turned to towards the Boogeyman who was going after his first believer. Pitch cried out when the boy ran straight through him like he was a ghost. Jack merriment washed away instantly as he watched his foe be walked through by Jamie; he knew the pain of that all too well. It didn't hurt, well not physically but there was something emotionally tearing about being walked through

"No!" Pitch seemed to pat himself as if to make sure he was real, much as Jack had done near 300 years ago after he'd first been walked through.

"No." The shade said again, fear suddenly leaping into the golden silver eyes. He scrambled away from the Guardians and ran towards the end of town where his lair was. Pitch ran as hard and fast as he could, glancing back as he crossed the frozen pond was a mistake as he slammed into something only to bounce back.

"Leaving the party so soon?" Pitch looked up in horror to see he'd slammed into North and the other Guardians were standing with him.

"You didn't even say goodbye." Tooth said, a coin was twirled in her fingers and she flicked it at Pitch. He caught it, looking down at it a moment before looking up in something of confusion.

"A quarter?" Seconds later his confusion cleared as Tooth was right in his face, arm pulled back and she punched him hard enough to knock out a tooth which bounced across the ice. Pitch looked up at her in dismayed horror as he stuck his finger in his mouth to try and figure out which tooth he'd lost as she spoke.

"And that's for my fairies." The fairies around Tooth chirped with a sort of "yeah"-sounding tone, nodding their little heads as if that were that. Pitch scrambled back a little, getting to his feet.

"You can't be rid of me, not forever." He sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself than threaten the Guardians before him.

"So what?" North said, uncrossing his arms.

"As long as one child believes, we will be here to fight fear." He indicated the others.

"Really? Then what are _they_ doing here?" Pitch asked with a smile, indicating behind the group with one hand. The Guardians glanced around and behind them, seeing the Nightmares that had begun to gather.

"They can't be my Nightmares, I'm not afraid." North said with a smile and Pitch's smile faded as he looked from one to the other.

"Looks like it's your fear they smell." Jack said, leaning forward slightly with a smile and suddenly fear washed over Pitch's face as he realized that he was indeed afraid and the Nightmares came rushing forwards towards him; ignoring the Guardians.

"No! No!" He cried as he ran, trying to outrun them but they were faster and the swarmed him, black sand swirling about him to drag him to his lair.

"No no no no no noooooooo!" His cries echoed out into the night as the bedframe disappeared with him down the hole that closed up behind him as he was dragged back down into the darkness. Jack watched with wide eyes, he hadn't expected Pitch's own minions to turn on him like that and… right or not, he pitied the Boogeyman.

The clouds parted and Jack looked up. He swore that he saw a smile on the moon's "face" but he didn't have a long time to think about it, even as he felt an answering smile on his own. Tooth's laughter cut into his thoughts as she suddenly hugged him. He laughed a little as he hugged her back, suddenly she seemed to realize what it was she was doing and became embarrassed, pulling back even as Babytooth zipped between them, seeming to chide Tooth. Jack just laughed at the two.

"Are you ready now Jack?" Jack shifted to look at North, who was standing before him, Bunny and Sandy stood behind him a pace or two and off to the side; Tooth hovering on the other side of North as the Guardian spoke.

"To make it official?" It was more of a statement than a question, but Jack felt pride and happiness swell up in him. He had rebuffed the Guardians at first, he'd wanted nothing to do with them based on what he'd known of them; he had judged them wrongly… just as they had done with him. He realized that now as he watched a yeti hand North the book he remembered seeing only a few days ago when the Guardian of Wonder had been ready to swear him in without even asking his opinion, but this time it was more of a question than it had been before. This time Jack was ready and willing to join their ranks. North saw the answer in his eyes as he thumbed through the large book.

"Then it's time you take oath." Only after finding the page needed did the larger Guardian began to read.

"Do you, Jack Frost," At his name, North glanced up to meet his gaze and Jack couldn't help the smile he felt tugging at his lips even as the other went on.

"vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes and dreams for they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be?" Unable to keep the smile from his face, Jack glanced back to see that all the children had followed the Guardians and now stood, with eggs, elves and more yetis, as witness to this turning point in his life as he was certain that this day would be a day he would never forget in all his years. His eyes sought out Jamie though and his first believer smiled back at him, nodding in encouragement. Jamie… that boy had changed everything for him, had changed how he viewed the Guardians and what they did. He turned back to look up at North.

"I will."

"Then, congratulations Jack Frost. For you are now and _forevermore_" North closed the book on that word.

"a Guardian." The children let out a cheer along with everyone else and North said something in Russian before grabbing him and kissing him on both cheeks. He laughed then at Jack's dazed confusion. Jack could only smile though at the happiness he saw in the eyes of his new friends and comrades who were celebrating his joining them. He couldn't have been happier… he knew he had never been so happy in all of his life and finally he felt as if he really had come home. Not to a place, but to others who really cared. He grinned a little when he saw the group of tiny fairies form a heart in mid air.

"Keep it together girls." Tooth said and the bottom most fairy fainted, Jack chuckled a little at that. He might be a kid compared to the other Guardians, but he wasn't completely oblivious….

As the children cheered, North's sleigh appeared in the sky and the children began talking excitedly amongst themselves about it as it came to a stop on the ice before the Guardians.

"Everyone loves the sleigh." Bunny said to North as the children marveled over the sleigh. Jack shook his head a little as he watched the children. The feel of a hand on his shoulder made Jack turn to look at North.

"Time to go." Jack shifted his gaze back to the children while Sandy made fireworks of his sand that exploded only to rain down on the children and make them sleepy. As the sand floated down, Bunny knelt down, encouraging an egg to hop off his paw and towards others that were gathered around the little girl, Sophie.

"Happy Easter ya li'l ankl'-biter."

"You're leaving?" Jack turned at the sound of Jamie's voice, he knew he had to leave with the others; their work here was done, for now. He took a step towards the boy who seemed desperate.

"But what if Pitch comes back? What If we stop believing again?" His gaze dropped from Jack's and became troubled.

"If I can't see you…" He trailed off and Jack knelt in front of him to meet his eyes again, placing a hand on his shoulder as he spoke with a slight smile.

"Hey, hey, slow down. You tell me you stop believing in the sun when the moon comes out?"

"No."

"Well, do you stop believing in the sun when clouds block it out?" He asked, his hand dropped towards one knee to hold his staff still while his other hand pointed up at the sky."  
"No." Jamie replied again with a smile and Jack knew the boy was starting to get what he was trying to say.

"We'll _always _be there Jamie." He knew they would be too, if something did happen, they'd all be back to set it right; after all, that was what they did, they protected children and everything that went with childhood.

"And now, we'll always be here." He pointed to the boy's heart gently.

"Which, kind of makes you a Guardian too." The boy seemed to brighten at this. With a smile, Jack stood up and made his way to the sleigh; he'd never forget Jamie, he would always remember this boy who had helped him in ways the kid would never know and wouldn't understand until he got older. He was about to get on the sleigh when he heard his name called.

"Jack!" He turned to see the boy running to him, Jamie flung his arms around him, hugging his waist; Jack stilled in surprise as shock rippled through him before he smiled and knelt to return the hug. Thanks to this boy, he would never need worry about being alone, about constantly being walked through because this young child and his friends wouldn't do that again. They believed and that was something Jack would treasure for a long time. When the boy let him go and stepped back, Jack leapt up onto the wing of the sleigh, turning so he could look at his first believers even as North snapped the reins and the deer took off. The children waved, and Jack couldn't stop the smile on his face. He was sorry he had to leave them, but seeing them wave at him made his heart glow with a warmth he'd never thought he'd feel. As the sleigh rose in the sky and out of sight of the children below, Jack leapt into the sleigh, smiling at Tooth who was seated to one side near the front, he grinned at Sandy who sat on the other side and moved towards the back; Bunny smiled at him with a nod. Finally the Pooka had accepted him as a Guardian and he saw in those green eyes that he had not only earned his trust, but that there was more that would come in the time ahead. Because this was not the end, not for Jack, this was just the beginning. He moved to the far back of the sleigh, but not to sit down. He crouched near the back and formed a snowflake to drift down into a nearby cloud; it would bring a light snow to Burgess and he turned to look at his new friends…. No, his new family; that's what the Guardians were after all and Jack felt his heart swell again with happiness. Yes, this was the end of his years of loneliness and the beginning of a new life for him. He was a Guardian now and he had come home.


End file.
